Yangkhullen village organises 'Hekazo'

Our Correspondent
Senapati , Apr 11: Yengkhullen and neighbouring villages including Tamphung, Ziumi, Bakie and Nsebekie organised "Hekazo", an annual community fishing event for kindred of  Zeliangrong community today.
According to the old traditional beliefs, Hekazo brings fortune to the people and even a person can extend his/her life for a certain period of time. It is believed that leaving TEIE-SANG (baton) on the river bank after beating/thrashing the creepers bark, wards off evil spirits and defends human lives from evil spirits.
Addressing media persons, Lunghenjoing Hau, ex-chairman of Yangkhullen village stated that it was a day of celebration and that the event has been organised every year since time immemorial. Having used organic poisons for fishing in the river, children and women would be allowed to start fishing before mid day. Later, the male adults would go fishing along the Dziiko River.
Lunghenjoing Hau asserted that the villagers would also go to Barak river for a similar event.
It may be mentioned that Yangkhullen lies in the northern part of Senapati district which is about 80 km from the district headquarters. Around 1,000 villagers including women and children attended the fishing event.